Monday, September 06, 2010 lene asks

Q: i'm 42 years old. i've been getting pain in my breast. I also have itchy breast and scratching it cause small wound. Could this possibly be a sign of Breast cancer.

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Answers (2)

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

9/ 6/10 6:12am

Hi - Pain and itchng can be a sign of a rare type of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, or IBC. Luckily, these symptoms seldom turn our to be IBC. Please read our posts on itchy breasts, and breast pain. Hopefully they'll give you some guidance about whether/when to see a doctor about this, and what to do in the meantime. Certianly, if the pain and itching become worse quickly, or if your breast seems infected - red, hot, swollen - then it's time to see the doctor without delay. Good luck - PJH

deborah t

9/10/10 1:25am

HELLO I AM 53 HAD PAIN AND ITCHING 2 DRS SAID IT WAS NOTHING WELL IT IS SOMETHING I HAVE IBC AND CARCINOMA JUST HAD 5TH CHEMO PLEASE GET TO A DR ASAP GET A MAMMOGRAM I WAS TOLD IF YOU HAVE BREAST PAIN IT IS NOT CANCER WELL MINE WAS SO GO GO GO AND HOPEFULLY IT IS NOTHING ALL THE BEST

DEB T

carrie

3/ 7/11 8:51pm

hi I'm also 42 and my left breast is always icthing. there is no lumps but it will never stop icthing.pls i need answers to my itchy breast .thanks. Help.

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

3/ 8/11 5:45am

If this has been going on for months and months, Carrie, then it's probably hormonal, or something to do with nerves. Since it's on your left side, some kind of cardiac issue can't be ruled out, either. Anything that goes on for a long time without getting worse, or changing, wouldn't be cancer. However, if it's been going on only a short time - a few weeks - then it qualifies as a breast change, and you should see a doctor; again, itching such as you describe isn't a breast cancer symptom - unless it's accompanied by other symptoms, like pain, swelling, dimpling of the skin, and redness. Still, you need to get it checked out. Either way, I'd think you want to find out what this is, and get it treated; it sounds very uncomfortable! Good luck - PJH

debbieg2010

3/ 9/11 8:20pm

I had the itching and pain then after 3 months I woke up one morning and my right nipple looked like it had been cut and it was very red but it did not hurt. I started doing some research and all of my symtoms were the same as a woman that had all the same symtoms and I saw pictures that looked like my nipple. It is called Paget's Breast Nipple Disease and it is very hard to diagonis.You can read her story at http//www.urbanlegends.about.com/library/blpagets.htm?p=l

I started going to doctors asking them if this could be Paget's and they said no.It did not show up on my diagnostic mammogram. The nipple got worse and had a discharge and very inflamed and starting to hurt all the time. This went on for 8 months and then I went to my GYN and he said it was time for a biopsy.It was Paget's and I had a double mastectomy Sept.14,2010.

You need to pursue and find out what is going on because I would have never thought that I would have breast cancer until I started to do research on my own.

Good Luck, I hope you get some answers

debbieg

Shari

5/22/11 4:20pm

I will be 43 yrs old this August. For the last approx 4 weeks, my left breast has had intense itching, mostly in one spot, and now I am starting to have some mild pain! There is no redness, but my breast feels swollen to me, full, etc. I have woken myself up in the middle of the night scratching the nipple area, and have scratched other areas so hard I have bruised myself, but at these times, the harder I scratch, the worse it itches! BUT.......it's not the intense itching all the time! But there are still many times during the day that I want to reach down and scratch! Not sure where to start!

Phyllis Johnson, Health Guide

5/22/11 6:08pm

Start with your family doctor since this has been going on for a full month. In the meantime, try really hard not to scratch. That just makes it worse. Press hard with the heel of your hand, but don't rub. Itching severe enough to wake you up at night needs to be checked out. Itchy breasts are not uncommon, but they are usually not cancer. I hope you soon get some relief.

annette katz

9/ 5/11 12:16pm

If your breast itches, please get a mamogram right away. While it may not be cancer, that was a definite symptom of mine and i did have cancer. If the mamo reveals nothing, and topical medicines don't work, find a dr. who will do a biopsy. We all know our own bodies best. If the results are negative you can relax. If they are positive, you will have a quicker start on treatment.

deborah t

3/ 8/11 12:30am

Hi Carrie to be on the safe side get to a good obgyn and go get a mamogram. 2 drs. told me breast pain was not a symptom of cancer. My breast first became painful, swollen, itchy, red, then my nipple inverted when I raised my arm over my head. I had 6 rounds of chemo, total mastectomy w 11 lymph nodes removed (6 WERE POSITIVE), and 33 tx's of RADIATION, NOW I AM ON ORAL CHEMO AS WELL AS HERCEPTIN EVERY 3 WEEKS FOR A YR.

I HAD ANNUAL MAMOGRAMS BUT MISSED MY LAST ONE BY 7 MONTHS. nOT TRYING TO SCARE YOU BUT RUN DON'T WALK UNTIL YOU GET AN ANSWER. IF I HAD MAYBE I WOULDN'T BE IN THIS MESS. IT HAS BEEN A REALLY LONG 9 ALMOST 10 MONTHS SINCE I WAS DIAGNOSED. IF THIS SAVES YOU FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH I AM GRATEFUL. PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH.

TAKE GOOD CARE

DEB T

Q: i'm 42 years old. i've been getting pain in my breast. I also have itchy breast and scratching it cause small wound. Could this possibly be a sign of Breast cancer.

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